Preview — Far from the Tree
by Robin Benway

Far from the Tree

A moving contemporary novel about three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment, by acclaimed YA vet Robin Benway.

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for herA moving contemporary novel about three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment, by acclaimed YA vet Robin Benway.

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.

But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including—

Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she’s quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.

And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he’s learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him.

Robin Benway’s beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms—how to find it, how to keep it, and how to love it....more

FlorineHey Lisa, I actually think you should. I just finished it, and what I took from the book is this: giving up babies is a trauma, adopted kids have…moreHey Lisa, I actually think you should. I just finished it, and what I took from the book is this: giving up babies is a trauma, adopted kids have questions & fears that are complicated, adoptive families can be wonderful and supportive, and net net every family has issues. The kids look for their biological mom not because they don't love their families, but to understand the circumstances. It is fiction, but I don't think there is any judgement one way or the other, at least from what I could see (my experience is extremely limited though, so I may not have the same triggers.) I did find it was a beautiful story.(less)

JuliaI don't know if you've been on a high school campus lately but the f word is in every other sentence of most teenagers. I found this book to ring true…moreI don't know if you've been on a high school campus lately but the f word is in every other sentence of most teenagers. I found this book to ring true as to language and behavior of most kids and would take the rating down to PG-13 if that. And what's with the overuse of the word "triggering". The world is triggering these days. As parents we need to grow up and connect with are kids. They are sometimes a lot smarter than we are. (less)

Community Reviews

What an absolutely amazing contemporary novel. I am truly BLOWN AWAY by how fantastic this story is. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone.

CW: teen pregnancy, adoption, foster care system, alcoholism

I don't feel I even have the words to express how fantastic this book is. It is touching, emotional, heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the exact same time. Far From The Tree is one of those books that causes you to have a weight on your chest the entire time you are reading. I cried from saWhat an absolutely amazing contemporary novel. I am truly BLOWN AWAY by how fantastic this story is. I would recommend it to absolutely everyone.

CW: teen pregnancy, adoption, foster care system, alcoholism

I don't feel I even have the words to express how fantastic this book is. It is touching, emotional, heart-warming and heart-wrenching at the exact same time. Far From The Tree is one of those books that causes you to have a weight on your chest the entire time you are reading. I cried from sadness and happiness all throughout the novel. This novel is absolutely at the top of my recommendations list to anyone interested in serious contemporaries. One of my absolute new faves....more

4.5* This was so well done! The writing was great and I truly felt for the characters and their struggles. I will admit I did struggle a bit with a suspension of disbelief just in regards to the fact that the mother had 3 kids in a very short period of time when she was extremely young. But, that was a very minor thing. Overall I thought this book was really good!

Now I don’t want my heart to be giving me a heart attack out of spite, so I will stop insulting it. It is what it is.

I won’t deny that this is an important book. Three siblings who are reunited? That’s incredible! I’ve seen it on TV many times before, and I’ve read different stories with characters in the foster care system (try One for the Murphys right now!) but I thought I should give this a chance nonetheless.

And it’s fine. It’s okay. It’s readable. The story didn’t impress me, and I found the writing dry, and the characters two-dimensional, but I guess I could have finished it if I had had the time, but I knew that by the end of it I wouldn’t be able to give it higher than three stars, and that’s just sad.

The author’s choice to write it in the third person point of view befuddles me. Why oh why did you do that, dear Robin Benway? I have read books from her written in the first person point of view and I enjoyed them much more.

It would have been fine if it hadn’t made me feel disconnected from the characters. Again, they’re alright, but I couldn’t care enough to imagine myself being in their situation and I try as much as I can to do that in order to understand them better and, again, *connect*.

I might give this another try in the future. Or I might not. Anyways, it’s a DNF at 25% for now.

That was... unexpected. Far From the Tree is an exploration of family, the one you find and the one you're born into. Great concept, right? But I definitely did not guess just how good this would be. A story like this is one that can only succeed based off stellar character work, and my expectations for character work in contemporary is often quite low. But this was so lovely.

This book revolves around three siblings, each with their own conflicts. 🌹Grace has recently

That was... unexpected. Far From the Tree is an exploration of family, the one you find and the one you're born into. Great concept, right? But I definitely did not guess just how good this would be. A story like this is one that can only succeed based off stellar character work, and my expectations for character work in contemporary is often quite low. But this was so lovely.

This book revolves around three siblings, each with their own conflicts. 🌹Grace has recently given birth and put a girl up for adoption. Ostracized at school and by her ex-boyfriend, she’s trying to fit in. 🍁 Maya is living with divorcing parents and a dysfunctional home situation. And also her first girlfriend. 🍃Joaquin is a foster child trying to decide whether to trust his maybe adoptees.

And guess what: I loved all three of them. I don’t want to give away much about this book, because it’s one best experienced. But if I were to sum this book up, it feels so personal. With such fantastic characters, the friendship and family element totally stands out.

The older she got, the more human her parents seemed, and that was one of the scariest things in the world. She missed being little, when they were the all-knowing gods of her world, but at the same time, seeing them as human made it easier to see herself that way, too.

Oh, and I love the representations of being adopted. It's amazing. And I adore the way Maya is represented as a gay girl.

It turns out she wasn't the only gay kid at school, and she was never harassed or teased - but she found she didn't know how to be affectionate with friends. Would they think sh was hitting on them if she just hugged them hello? Would she make it weird just by being herself? It hadn't mattered with Lauren, but at her new school, Maya found herself holding back, using sarcasm as affectionate until it became habit, until it became who she was.

This book feels so personal, and so emotional, but also so hopeful. It’s the perfect tone for this kind of story. Would highly, highly recommend.

families come in various shapes, sizes, colours, personalities, and dynamics. no two families are the same and thats what makes them so wonderful. this book is a perfect example of that.

this is a story about three biological siblings who are separated into different homes/paths as infants and later reconnect once they discover each others existence.

and reading about the desperate longing these siblings have for each other, as well as their desire to meet and grow into a family, it made realisefamilies come in various shapes, sizes, colours, personalities, and dynamics. no two families are the same and thats what makes them so wonderful. this book is a perfect example of that.

this is a story about three biological siblings who are separated into different homes/paths as infants and later reconnect once they discover each others existence.

and reading about the desperate longing these siblings have for each other, as well as their desire to meet and grow into a family, it made realise how much i take my own family for granted. the overwhelming love and support and hope that radiates off of the pages of this book is so just wholesome.

its true that no family is perfect, but this story so beautifully portrays how a family can feel like the perfect home. and sometimes family just really means those you love and who love you in return. its the people who support us, comfort us, teach us, are honest with us, and help us, regardless if they are genetically related or not.

in essence, family is what you make it, no matter how far from the tree.

Robin Benway's Far from the Tree recently won the National Book Award. It's a beautiful, thought-provoking tearjerker of a book, a meditation about family and its different forms, as well as the fears we don't share with those we love, and how what we don't say is often more of a roadblock than the things we do.

At times this book had me like:

While at other times it had me like:

Grace is an only child, although she's always known that she was adopted. But shortly after s

4.5 stars for this one.

Robin Benway's Far from the Tree recently won the National Book Award. It's a beautiful, thought-provoking tearjerker of a book, a meditation about family and its different forms, as well as the fears we don't share with those we love, and how what we don't say is often more of a roadblock than the things we do.

At times this book had me like:

While at other times it had me like:

Grace is an only child, although she's always known that she was adopted. But shortly after she gives birth to her own daughter while she's still in high school, and gives the baby up for adoption, she decides that it's time to start looking for her biological mother. She more than surprised to find out from her parents that Grace had two biological siblings—an older brother, Joaquin, and a younger sister, Maya, whom she never knew existed.

Maya is tremendously outspoken about everything, perhaps because she's the lone brunette in a house full of redheads. Her adopted parents' marriage is floundering, her mother has a drinking problem, and she's always felt the outsider in her family, since her younger sister was born shortly after her parents adopted her. She's not sure what she hopes to find in her biological siblings, but she hopes it brings her security.

While Grace and Maya were adopted as babies, Joaquin has spent his life in and out of foster families. Even the times he let his guard and his heart down, he ultimately was disappointed and hurt, so he's determined not to let that happen again, even when the situation looks promising. More than anything, he's afraid that he believes he can hurt the people who care about him, so he's afraid to let anyone get too close, even Grace and Maya.

Each of the siblings has their emotional wounds and their secrets, which poses challenges for their relationship but also demonstrates just how much they have in common. Beyond their mutual love of eating their French fries with mayonnaise, and their similar physical characteristics, the three share the fear of telling the people they care about the truth, about letting them see all of their problems, which has resulted in friction with others in their lives. But little by little, they let their walls down with one another and try to help each other face those fears—which is far easier said than done.

"Maya wondered if it would ever be like this with Grace and Joaquin, the ability to just sit quietly side by side, content in the knowledge that no matter what happened with your parents, or your girlfriend, that your siblings will still be there, like a bookend that keeps you upright when you feel like toppling over."

There is a lot of emotional upheaval in this book, as the siblings deal with their own issues as well as search for their biological mother. I enjoyed this book quite a bit, but I'll admit I found their inability to verbalize the things they were afraid of/angry about tremendously frustrating. I know this was a realistic depiction of how people, particularly teenagers, often handle their problems, but to have it be the case with three people at the same time was a bit bothersome.

Beyond wanting to shake the characters so they'd finally say what needed to be said, I really enjoyed this book and was tremendously moved by it. It was a very real reminder about the fears and anxieties adopted children and children in the foster care system face, and it also demonstrated how feeling like you belong for the first time can truly make a difference.

This is a really well-written book. Benway had an ear for dialogue that was on-target for teenagers without making them sound so much wiser and more sarcastic than their years. I'm always a big fan of books which make me feel while they make me think, which is why I definitely recommend Far from the Tree.

Sap WarningI come from a big family and even though at times they can be annoying as heck and other times make me want to jump out of a window, theyre literally my life and I would die without themokay im done my sap – gross

AND THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT FAMILY AND ITS AMAZING AND PERFECT AND SO SPECIAL

kermit gets me

- BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL and honest sibling rep. this was done so sosososooso well- Theyre annoying and irritating and you want to punch them sometimes but like they got your bSap WarningI come from a big family and even though at times they can be annoying as heck and other times make me want to jump out of a window, theyre literally my life and I would die without themokay im done my sap – gross

AND THIS BOOK IS ALL ABOUT FAMILY AND ITS AMAZING AND PERFECT AND SO SPECIAL

kermit gets me

- BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL BEAUTIFUL and honest sibling rep. this was done so sosososooso well- Theyre annoying and irritating and you want to punch them sometimes but like they got your back no matter what and damn boi that’s some hardcore loyalty - I loved how the book expressed how dysfunctional families can be, but that doesn’t make them any less important - Damn im really getting sappy but I CANT HELP IT THIS BOOK MAKES ME LIKE THIS- So much character development- So much multi-layered characters- It feels so bloody real- Okay so listen, I cried….like a lot…its NOT my fault these KIDS, THEY KILLED ME theyre so precious and sweet darling little teddy bears and they hurt my heart - I literally had to stop reading more than once just to contain myself bc I was just not doing well with the feels- Robin benway is hilarious and I want to be her friend- RAFE MY SWEET SUN CHILD, I NEED MORE ON RAFE PLEASE THAT’S ALL I ASK- I really really really loved how the whole thing with the mom was handled, wow, you got me robin benway, I was properly surprised- Also this is a contemporary but like benway shooks you up so many times, legit from the first paragraph you will be like !!??!!???!11?!1?!!??!- And like it deals with SO MANY important and serious topics- But still manages to perfectly balance that with the humour and cuteness - The conversations between the siblings were literally me and my brothers like I relate so hard I had to punch a pillow - Maya’s sarcasm/humour tho, girl, yes- So just like please read it because its beautiful and funny and sweet and it hurts so much- “I know you don’t believe it now, I know you might not ever believe it, but Mark and Linda are like those training wheels, too. What you described? That’s what parents do. They catch you before you fall. That’s what family is.”

I completely forgot this review existed and I’m just genuinely wondering: was I okay

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lazy: “I stopped reading a few days ago but left the book on my currently reading shelf”lazier: “I stopped reading a week ago but left the book on my currently reading shelf”laziest: “I didn’t even read one word of this book but left the book on my currently reading shelf for more than a month”

(I’m laziest. and pathetic)

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a conversation with myself:

me: so

I completely forgot this review existed and I’m just genuinely wondering: was I okay

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lazy: “I stopped reading a few days ago but left the book on my currently reading shelf”lazier: “I stopped reading a week ago but left the book on my currently reading shelf”laziest: “I didn’t even read one word of this book but left the book on my currently reading shelf for more than a month”

(I’m laziest. and pathetic)

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a conversation with myself:

me: so I just read a book that made me cry, what should I read nowmy brain: hmmmy brain: wellmy brain: how about another book that’s supposed to break your heart??me: oh my god GREAT IDEA!!!

Library overdrive Audiobook...narrated by Julia Whelan...... .......Julia is a ‘book-reading-pro’!!! I’d go out of my way to listen to books read by her. She’s really terrific....making each character come ALIVE with very distinct personalities.

I completely agree with the publishers summary of this National Book Award Winner.... “Perfect for fans of NBC’s “THIS IS US”, ( I am a fan), Robin Benway’s beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meLibrary overdrive Audiobook...narrated by Julia Whelan...... .......Julia is a ‘book-reading-pro’!!! I’d go out of my way to listen to books read by her. She’s really terrific....making each character come ALIVE with very distinct personalities.

I completely agree with the publishers summary of this National Book Award Winner.... “Perfect for fans of NBC’s “THIS IS US”, ( I am a fan), Robin Benway’s beautiful interweaving story of three very different teenagers connected by blood explores the meaning of family in all its forms - how to find it, keep it, and how to love it.”

I can’t stress enough how WONDERFUL THIS AUDIOBOOK WAS. There are already many other beautiful reviews....Hannah Greendale, Larry H, Suzanne, Ken, Susan, Maria, Gina, Andrea, Nicole, Rachel, Jenifer, Jessie, Sarah, Vicki, Julie, etc. ......I enjoyed them all.....So, I want to simply add I loved LISTENING to this story. The narrator was so good -I picked up feelings from every sigh and cough. I laughed and I cried.......( definitely cried with Joaquin once) - I rolled my eyes - with Maya a few times, and was incredibly heartbroken for Grace and Joaquin in different ways. I felt sadness for Maya too - but kinda different - I felt she was a little more resilient. I loved Grace, Maya, and Joaquin. All of them are Permanente Book Friends living inside me!!!

I REALLY THINK MOST OF MY GIRLFRIENDS WOULD *LOVE* THESE CHARACTERS - guys too- AND THE AUDIOBOOK IS TERRIFICALLY ENGROSSING!!!

Maya kept me laughing. I needed her sarcastic personality- and cherished it for tension relief. I could just imagine driving a car with her in the passenger seat....she would be giving me hell for driving too slow and listening to old lady radio stations: NPR...lol....

**LARRY H**: you are soooo right - BONDING OVER Condiments/ mayonnaise.... was soooooo CHARMING!! Why do we get teary in these moments? Laughing and crying!I was soaking in our pool listening to that scene. Loved it.

My first cousin, Shelley was adopted. A year later Holly was born, then Karen, then Moses. I was very close to all 4 of my cousins growing up: them living in a mansion in Piedmont - but I’ve stayed especially close to Shelley during our adult years....yet I haven’t talked to her or any of my cousins for over a year. So now I feel sad about it. I promise to call my cousin this week!!!

This book is an example of why I need the Goodreads Rating Scale to be bigger. On a scale of 1 to 10, definitely a 10!

Robin Benway is an amazing writer. I could not put this book down. I was reading it at school in-between classes, in the car (which I NEVER do) and I think at one point I actually read while walking. I think it’s safe to say I was obsessed.

This is the story of three adopted siblings who find each other at just the rRATING: 5/5

"Seventeen years is a long time to wait for a family''

This book is an example of why I need the Goodreads Rating Scale to be bigger. On a scale of 1 to 10, definitely a 10!

Robin Benway is an amazing writer. I could not put this book down. I was reading it at school in-between classes, in the car (which I NEVER do) and I think at one point I actually read while walking. I think it’s safe to say I was obsessed.

This is the story of three adopted siblings who find each other at just the right moment.

We get three POVs, told in the third person (which I think was definitely the way to go). There’s Joaquin (older child), Grace (middle child) and Maya (the younger child. I love Grace’s character because she seemed very real and non-fictional to me. Maya is the one I relate to because of the sarcasm and the upbeat attitude. And Joaquin is so sweet and lovable, I wanted to wrap him up in a blanket and hug him! The relationship between the siblings is awkward at first but they soon become closer and more comfortable around each other. They each have special traits and qualities that complement the other two. Every time they acknowledge each other as brother or sister, I felt like crying. I never realized how important and personal those words are before now.

Not only do the characters have to deal with the stress and emotions of meeting for the first time, but they’re also experiencing changes in their household (a teenage pregnancy, a divorce, among other things). I loved how supportive they were of each other through all the lows and how they celebrated the highs.

I’m not sure how much thought went into writing this book but it seems like a lot. The author managed to build each personality individually, include realistic and believable conflict and wrap it all up nicely in just 300 pages. I honestly think this should’ve been longer. I want to see more of their interactions; I want to know what happens with their love interests and what about Grace’s baby? Oh how I wish I knew…

*Side note: I was shocked to realize I haven’t read many books involving teen pregnancy. Not sure if YA authors don’t know how to handle the topic or I haven’t looked enough*

Overall, an excellent book that I think EVERYONE should read. It is now one of my all-time favorite contemporaries....more

Okay. First, we must talk about the most important thing, and that is that cover. Holy sh*t that thing is beautiful. Man oh man. I hate myself for reading this as an ebook out of excitement instead of waiting to buy a copy. I’m way too materialistic for this BS.

Now we can talk about the actual contents.

I first heard about this book because it won the National Book Award for Young Adult Literature, and I was doing a very grown-up blog post for the very grown up college-affiliated blog I’m part ofOkay. First, we must talk about the most important thing, and that is that cover. Holy sh*t that thing is beautiful. Man oh man. I hate myself for reading this as an ebook out of excitement instead of waiting to buy a copy. I’m way too materialistic for this BS.

Now we can talk about the actual contents.

I first heard about this book because it won the National Book Award for Young Adult Literature, and I was doing a very grown-up blog post for the very grown up college-affiliated blog I’m part of on the best books of the year. (Objectively speaking. Like, awards and stuff. Offering up my measly weird pickings from last year would have been...not awesome.)

I was p surprised??? I read Emmy and Oliver by Robin Benway, which was fine, but nothing to write home about. Let alone write the National Book Award about! Hahahaha.

Anyway.

It’s a contemporary and it has a pretty cover and it won a Big Award, so I figured may as well.

And that’s pretty much what I got. It’s a contemporary. It has a pretty cover. I see why it won an award. But it just didn’t...click for me.

It’s diverse, which I like. It’s a new, unique story. I haven’t read that many books about adopted families, let alone biological siblings adopted into different families. And I did really like the budding sibling relationship between the three! I have a soft spot for siblings.

But other than that...I don’t know. I feel like this book is like. The Mona Lisa, or something. I can recognize what’s rad about it from an objective standpoint. It’s nice looking. I would keep it in my home. But it doesn’t make me feel anything.

I sound sociopathic now. I didn’t aaaaaactualllyyyy feel nothing while I read this! Their family development is so good. There are emotional moments. But I didn’t connect with the characters that much. They felt kind of half developed to me. Maybe afterthoughts to their plotlines?

I don’t know. This wasn’t bad. I don’t not recommend.

What I do not recommend is this review!!! Oh my god!!! I’m the worst ever!!!

Bottom line: Looks great on paper (which you would think would be good enough for a book...buh dum ch) but something is MISSING AHHHHH I AM LOSING IT....more

reread #1: i’m honestly in tears. like i can’t even explain how good this book is. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. and it’s saving my reading challenge so yeet

5 stars ✨

"Seventeen years is a long time to wait for a family."

I can't express in words how much I loved this book. It was just what I needed, everything I wanted and so much more . It's been a loooong time since I've had a 5 star read (actually, I think this is my first 5 star of 2018? correct me if I'm wrong? but yay?).

When I say I love contempreread #1: i’m honestly in tears. like i can’t even explain how good this book is. I LOVE IT SO MUCH. and it’s saving my reading challenge so yeet

5 stars ✨

"Seventeen years is a long time to wait for a family."

I can't express in words how much I loved this book. It was just what I needed, everything I wanted and so much more . It's been a loooong time since I've had a 5 star read (actually, I think this is my first 5 star of 2018? correct me if I'm wrong? but yay?).

When I say I love contemporary, or whenever I get the need to read contemporary books this is what I'm talking about. This is the feeling I crave for when I'm done with reading fantasy or dystopian novels, or have just recovered from a slump, or a really bad book. Seriously, this was so freaking good & please let the author release more books. Maybe pt. 2 of this book would be nice. like REALLY NICE.

"Far from the Tree" is a book oriented mainly around family, loss, acceptance, and so much more. & everything was executed so so so well, in the most perfect of ways. this is one of the books that made my heart feel heavy and sad and depressed but also gave me such happiness? how is this possible?

Grace🌷

first of all, what a powerful story. Grace and her character,,, it was everything. her maturity level combined with her easy going personality just had me screaming at the top of my lungs that WE NEED MORE CHARACTERS LIKE GRACE IN THIS WORLD. her story is one of teen pregnancy and the struggles of giving up your child for adoption. but the twist is that she's adopted herself, so it's no surprise that after going through the whole experience herself, she asks her foster parents to tell her everything they know about her biological mom. all of her scenes blew me away and hurt my heart. IT WAS SO GOOD. holy, I'm still getting over how sad I was/am. I felt the authenticity of everything going through her head, the struggles she was facing. & it doesn't help that while she was giving birth, the baby's father was getting crowned homecoming king. yeah. that's all you need to know about Max. he's a douche.

Maya🌹

maya is crazy, relatable, funny (and can we just thank the author for lgbtq rep in the most natural way?) I loved her considerably less than the others, mainly because I couldn't connect to her character as much. (view spoiler)[ tbh i wish she didn't get back w claire but that's fine (hide spoiler)]her foster parents are getting a divorce. her mom has a drinking problem. she's like a machine of anger and love and wonder. SO MUCH LOVE

Joaquin 🌿

There was no one to take a picture of him standing under the blue ribbon that someone had pinned to his drawing at the school's art fair in fourth grade, or to drive him to that one birthday party across town in fifth....He still had that blue ribbon, though. He kept it buried at the back of his sock drawer, its edges frayed from the eighteen months that Joaquin had slept with it under his pillow.

I have to say, he was my favorite character and he was the reason I kept breaking apart when reading. I just wanted to give the poor boy happiness and wanted to see him joyful and wanted him to love himself so badly. I'm close to weeping just writing this. Such a well-crafted character. Let me just tell you, too, he's a sweetheart. & I loved him. & this is why I wish I had an older brother.

He hadn't realized it until he said it, but Joaquin thought that if anyone had ever hurt either one of these girls, he would grind them to dust.

This was so freaking powerful, let me just tell you this was AFTER LIKE ONE MEETING I THINK and he was ready to do anything to protect his sisters & it just comes to show how deep these bonds connecting family are. & it also comes to show how amazing Joaquin is. his story deals with foster care, travelling from house to house but never finding a home. He's been adopted once, but that didn't work well, and he's been in the foster care system all his life. naturally, he's unwilling to trust anyone., which broke my heart. & I wish he could get his childhood back so he can be loved. but his story is so raw and enduring and beautiful.

WOW OKAY SO CAN I JUST MENTION ONE MORE TIME THAT I LOVE JOAQUIN OK ADIOS (view spoiler)[ him and Birdie, on the other hand? nuh-uh. it’s a no from me. (hide spoiler)]

Rafe🍂

He may have taken some warming up to, but I loved him. Let me just insert the quote that confirmed my love for him;

he was the bright spot in Grace's life, and so funny and cute and adorable. I thought this would be a case of rebounds and insta-love but it sure wasn't. (view spoiler)[ I do wish that at the ending, there was a better wrap up of their relationship, and I would have LOVED a platonic relationship. (hide spoiler)]

Here's another joke from him cause why not,

"I just... I'm not really looking to hook up with or date anyone right now, okay? I don't want to." Rafe : "Woah, woah, woah." ... "Who said anything about hooking up or dating? I said yogourt. They don't even rhyme!

And later on, Grace tells him this again, and he's all like;

"Okay, honestly, Grace? Why do you keep insisting that I'm trying to date you? This is sexual harassment, that's what this is. In my place of employment, even."

love him.

just in general, this book covered family so well. Like please, please, please go read it. This is me begging. For you. To read it.

"Well, she's kind of annoying." Grace said. She hadn't even known it was true until she said it. "She kept interrupting me, she only talked about herself, and she was sort of rude, too, honestly.". "Honey?" Grace's mom said. "Yeah." "Welcome to having a sister."

Like how much more accurate and loving is this going to get?? HOW MUCH MORE?

Family hurts. But family also puts you back together. And I loved that the author just stressed that blood relationships mean a lot; but other relationships mean a lot, too.

let's just count the number of times I've used the word "love" in this review like damn my heart

I though this book was not going to end well. I mean, I was just like, everything's getting wrapped up way too quick and what?????? BUT THAT ENDING. OMG. OMG. OMG. PULLED THRU LIKE NOTHING ELSE EVER HAS

(view spoiler)[ finding out about their bio mom was also ... predictable?? But I overlooked it. because I loved this book. so much. (hide spoiler)]

I don't want to say much more, because I don't want to spoil anything or give away too much. But seriously, read this. the cover is beautiful, the book is beautiful... & then message me so we can cry together. ...more

Far From the Tree took me far out of my comfort zone in the most excellent way! It’s only the second audiobook I’ve listen to till the very end and it’s YA.

Here’s what I loved:

The Characters – Grace, Maya, and Joaquin were well-developed characters to love. They’re all basically good kids carrying more baggage than most adults could bear. Some of their baggage is shared and some is very specific to the character.

Far From the Tree took me far out of my comfort zone in the most excellent way! It’s only the second audiobook I’ve listen to till the very end and it’s YA.

Here’s what I loved:

The Characters – Grace, Maya, and Joaquin were well-developed characters to love. They’re all basically good kids carrying more baggage than most adults could bear. Some of their baggage is shared and some is very specific to the character.

The Story – There’s a lot going on here but it all blends seamlessly. Themes explored include teen pregnancy, racism, family dynamics, bullying, and behavioral health and substance abuse issues. Yes, lots of heavy stuff! Yet throughout there’s an underlying sense of hope and healing.

The Feels – As you might guess from reading the above, this is a very emotional read. Sadness, despair, joy, fear, etc. All the feels are there! Be prepared for teary eyes.

The Writing/Narration – I can’t speak to how it would be to read this in print but the language was very easy to listen to. The narrator, Julia Whelan did a fantastic job giving each character a very specific voice.

The Takeaway – Far From the Tree is a beautiful story. It’s YA that’s perfect for readers of adult literary fiction....more

OH FUCK THIS WAS SO GOOD.this was emotional and put my heart through the wringer.this won the national book award for a reason and it's an all time favorite.family stories are always a favorite of mine and this was just incredible.i really wanted to read this originally because it was compared to This Is Us and that is one of my all time favorite shows and JESUS IT IS SUCH A GOOD COMPARISON in terms of family and feels and just UGH OMG I HAVE TOO MANY FEELINGS RIGHT NOW.

So, I may or may not have shaken the the shit out of this thing and yelled WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!! WHY AREN'T THERE MORE BOOKS LIKE YOU IN THE WORLD!!

This thing had be sobbing, and laughing, and sobbing while laughing, and tearing my hair out, and more sobbing, and yelling "How did you know?!?!" I swear there's not a box of tissues or a roll of toilet paper left in the house.

I am emotionally done. I'll write a review later after I put myself back together. Seriously though, read this.

------------So, I may or may not have shaken the the shit out of this thing and yelled WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!!! WHY AREN'T THERE MORE BOOKS LIKE YOU IN THE WORLD!!

This thing had be sobbing, and laughing, and sobbing while laughing, and tearing my hair out, and more sobbing, and yelling "How did you know?!?!" I swear there's not a box of tissues or a roll of toilet paper left in the house.

I am emotionally done. I'll write a review later after I put myself back together. Seriously though, read this.

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This book is destroying me. It's bringing a whole lotta feelings I thought I had under control to the surface.

I was a teen mum. I'm not ashamed of it, though I was made to feel that way at the time. I was left to 'deal' with it by my son's father and his family. He washed his hands of it and walked away. I did not, and it was the hardest, and most rewarding thing I have ever done in my life. My son is now a teen himself and I pat us both on the back and say 'we did it kid'. He's turned out pretty damn alright if I do say so. I'm proud of us.

This is dredging up a lot of the emotions I had 17 years ago. I thought I had put all that behind me, but Robin Benway is eerily good at putting my chaotic mindset (at the time) into words. I can sense this is going to be a healing read for me and I hope other girls in this position can also gain comfort from it.

You're not alone, don't ever feel that you are, and don't ever let anyone say you are less than you are because of the choices you make....more

This book was so beautiful and so lovely. I would recommend it to everyone, I thought it was so heart-warming, but also so heart-breaking at times. Seriously guys, read this! It's one of those books that makes you feel so many things and it takes serious willpower for me not to recommend this to everyone I come across.

Once I finished this book, I realised it actually dealt with so many issues and it was done so eloquently. Sometimes when books deal with quite a lot, it can feel either too heavyThis book was so beautiful and so lovely. I would recommend it to everyone, I thought it was so heart-warming, but also so heart-breaking at times. Seriously guys, read this! It's one of those books that makes you feel so many things and it takes serious willpower for me not to recommend this to everyone I come across.

Once I finished this book, I realised it actually dealt with so many issues and it was done so eloquently. Sometimes when books deal with quite a lot, it can feel either too heavy or too light (light as in when it feels like books just use topics to shock you etc. and they don't actually explore the issue in a proper way). This book perfectly dealt with every issue. Without going into too much detail or giving anything away, I will just say I loved the overall themes of family, love, loss and friendship. Everything just fitted together so brilliantly to create this wonderful book.

The characters were all so great. Every main character was so different and refined. I really liked how the book was split into three different POV's because we got to see just how distinctive each character was. They were all dealing with different things and it was just great to see how each of them dealt with everything. Overall, the story was perfect. I did feel like the end was a teeny bit rushed but that was just a minor thing for me. I will say though, that the ending is filled with so much hope but it didn't feel forced, it felt like a very genuine, positive ending.

The writing was so good. This was my first book by Robin Benway and I really really enjoyed her writing style. I also felt like this book was written with so much love and care, and books that feel like that are always extra special to read. I would 100% recommend this book to everyone. Even if you don't usually read Young Adult books, it is one of those books that transcends the genre.

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*Slight spoilers in the quotes so don't read on if you don't want spoilers.

"Maya loved the way that she had spent her entire life trying to figure out where she fit, only to have Claire snap right into place next to her, like they had been waiting their whole lives to find each other."

"Maya had never realized how much power there was in loving someone. At first, she thought it was a source of strength, but now she was realizing that, in the wrong hands, on the wrong day, that power was strong enough to destroy the very thing that had built it."

"Maya wondered if it would ever be like this with Grace and Joaquin, the ability to just sit quietly side by side, content in the knowledge that no matter what happened with your parents, or your girlfriend, that your siblings will still be there, like a bookend that keeps you upright when you feel like toppling over."

"It wasn't just Maya's mom who was no longer there, but the space that her drinking had taken up seemed to hang over the house like a cloud, reminding Maya of all the time that she had invested in solving a problem that wasn't even hers to fix."...more

I just finished reading this book, and I honest to goodness cannot stop crying thinking about it. What a beautiful, raw, honest portrayal of families in a way I've never really encountered before. What an amazing sibling story. The relationships, the characters, the story - all just so wonderful, and this is def my fave Robin Benway book as of right now.

3.75 starsI enjoyed this a lot, and I honestly didn’t know much about it going in. The topics of teen pregnancy and adoption were covered in multiple characters’ arcs, giving the topics depth and multiple stories/perspectives within one story. The parents also weren’t absentee or placeholder parents, which is a pet peeve of mine.

There was a lot of dialogue and it’s totally a preference thing, but I prefer books that are less dialogue heavy and with more exposition or prose, so if you don’t mind3.75 starsI enjoyed this a lot, and I honestly didn’t know much about it going in. The topics of teen pregnancy and adoption were covered in multiple characters’ arcs, giving the topics depth and multiple stories/perspectives within one story. The parents also weren’t absentee or placeholder parents, which is a pet peeve of mine.

There was a lot of dialogue and it’s totally a preference thing, but I prefer books that are less dialogue heavy and with more exposition or prose, so if you don’t mind that, feel free to ignore this point or just keep it in the back of your mind.

I also thought that some scenes had only one clear, intended note in terms of feeling and tone. Like “this scene is here to make you sad!” “This character is here to give XYZ a love interest!” I’m no creative writing major and I can’t tell you what exactly contributed to that, as much as I like being specific in my reviews. What I can say is that I wanted more complexity in places, but can’t say how exactly that could have been fixed....more

So beautiful! I loved this book so much. This is a story about three siblings who have been fostered and adopted by separate families very early in their lives, and shows readers the many definitions family can have. I adored every minute of reading this book!

Overall, love the characters, the story, and the meaning behind this entire book!

I haven't found many foster/adoption YA stories and this was such an incredible one. I loved watching the growth of all the characters, especially Grace, and seeing all the kids band together and become a family was evERYTHING. The three main characters all had incredible and distinct storylines that pulled together so well and man. it was just so good.

This winner of the National Book Award is an old-school weepie bringing together three siblings who have been adopted (except for one still in foster care) by different families. The chapters rotate between each, beginning with Grace, a teenaged mom who just gave up a child herself to adoption (and the wheels spin inexorably).

She comes to know younger sister Maya, and eventually THEY come to know older brother Joaquin (different father, as he is part Mexican). Gra3.5 star lights, star brights.

This winner of the National Book Award is an old-school weepie bringing together three siblings who have been adopted (except for one still in foster care) by different families. The chapters rotate between each, beginning with Grace, a teenaged mom who just gave up a child herself to adoption (and the wheels spin inexorably).

She comes to know younger sister Maya, and eventually THEY come to know older brother Joaquin (different father, as he is part Mexican). Grace is being bullied in school because she had a child and thus, to the tormentors, is a "slut." Maya is the requisite (for YA these days) LGBT character with a rapier wit and a mouth that won't quit. Joaquin is the angry young man (cue Billy Joel).

All told, it gets a bit old as it heads for the high 300s. And it suffers two peculiar YA problems -- coincidences and "perfect" characters (often boyfriends--in this case, Grace's understanding and oh-so-sensitive bf Rafe whose humor looks too similar to Maya's, truth be told).

Enjoyable in its way. A bit bloated in its way. Talky in the typical way. And they all live happily ever after *sob*.......more

i loved it even more than the first time i read it if that’s possible. can’t wait to reread it again next year, one of my favourite books ever 😭💛

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Rating - 5 stars.

Okay wow this book is beautiful.

This story follows three siblings who have been separated - adopted & fostered - when they were younger into different families. It has such amazing and honest representation of family, friends and relationships.

I laughed and I cried with this book. It affected me in areread 7/11/18

i loved it even more than the first time i read it if that’s possible. can’t wait to reread it again next year, one of my favourite books ever 😭💛

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Rating - 5 stars.

Okay wow this book is beautiful.

This story follows three siblings who have been separated - adopted & fostered - when they were younger into different families. It has such amazing and honest representation of family, friends and relationships.

I laughed and I cried with this book. It affected me in a personal way as I have a large family myself.

It also had a good representation of LGBT, families, foster care, adoption etc etc. This is a story that will most definitely stick with me.

I would recommend this to everybody to read.

**I am planning to do a reread sometime this year so I can do a full review**...more

This book has so much heart. It's a story about three biological siblings reconnecting after being adopted (or not, in Joaquin's case) by different families. It could have been so sappy or tragic so easily, but it wasn't, and if some things felt a little contrived sometimes, they never felt like they were there just to make you sad. I love well-written emotional contemporaries.

It follows: 🍂 Joaquin, the eldest brother, who is biracial Mexican and almost eighteen. He has lived almost hi4.5 stars.

This book has so much heart. It's a story about three biological siblings reconnecting after being adopted (or not, in Joaquin's case) by different families. It could have been so sappy or tragic so easily, but it wasn't, and if some things felt a little contrived sometimes, they never felt like they were there just to make you sad. I love well-written emotional contemporaries.

It follows: 🍂 Joaquin, the eldest brother, who is biracial Mexican and almost eighteen. He has lived almost his entire life in foster care, and while there's a couple who wants to adopt him now, he doesn't feel like he deserves that.🍂 Grace, white and straight, got pregnant as a teen. She felt like she couldn't take care of her daughter, so a couple adopted her. However, it was a very hard decision for her, and while she was pregnant she lost all her friends, and she doesn't know when her life will begin to feel normal again. She wants to try to reconnect with her biological mother. She also starts falling for a boy, and this book has one of the cutest m/f romances I've read in a while.🍂 Maya, white lesbian, the youngest of the three. I read this book just because of her - when a book with a queer main character gets translated in my language, I read it - and I'm so glad I did. She was my favorite PoV, I'm so glad this book had a sweet f/f relationship in it. Maya struggles a lot with letting people in; her adoptive parents are also divorcing (and one of them is an alcoholic). Anyway, this is why representation is important in every book: because the less popular queer ones often do not get translated, but books like this one do, and that's the way we get queer books in Italy.

I loved seeing these three connect again and start acting like siblings, but what I liked the most was the way this book talked about self-hate and the feelings of not deserving the good things that happen to you through the PoVs of Joaquin and Maya. I had to blink back tears at some point, and that almost never happens to me.

Far From the Tree deals with a lot of topics - divorce, adoption, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, being a lesbian in high school, being Mexican in a white family - and does that with care and never seems to use those topics as devices to shock the readers, which was my main fear with this book. But nothing felt underdeveloped or just there to make you sad, and if by the end a few spoiler-y things felt a little contrived, I didn't even care that much.

If you liked this book and/or want to read something that deals with similar themes, I recommend the underrated This Is What It Feels Like by Rebecca Barrow, which is another emotional, well-written diverse contemporary.

The main reason I'm not giving this book a full five stars is that I often had no sense of setting. I often have this problem with books written by white American authors, so I kind of expected this, but I prefer when my contemporary stories don't feel like they're floating in blank space....more

Robin Benway is a National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of six novels for young adults, including Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including a 2008 Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 2009's ALA Best Books for Young Adults, and 2014's ALA Popular Paperbacks fRobin Benway is a National Book Award winner and New York Times bestselling author of six novels for young adults, including Audrey, Wait!, the AKA series, and Emmy & Oliver. Her books have received numerous awards and recognition, including a 2008 Blue Ribbon Award from the Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 2009's ALA Best Books for Young Adults, and 2014's ALA Popular Paperbacks for Young Adults. In addition, her novels have received starred reviews from Kirkus, Booklist, and Publishers Weekly, and have been published in more than twenty countries. Her most recent title, Emmy & Oliver, was published in 2015 by Harper Teen, and was named one of the best books of summer by the Los Angeles Times, the Houston Chronicle, and Publishers Weekly. Her latest book, Far From the Tree, won the 2017 National Book Award for Young People's Literature and was published on October 3, 2017 by Harper Teen.

Robin grew up in Orange County, California, attended NYU, where she was the 1997 recipient of the Seth Barkas Prize for Creative Writing, and is a graduate of UCLA. She currently lives in Los Angeles, where she spends her time hanging out with her dog, Hudson, making coffee, and procrastinating on writing....more

“The older she got, the more human her parents seemed, and that was one of the scariest things in the world. She missed being little, when they were the all-knowing gods of her world, but at the same time, seeing them as human made it easier to see herself that way, too.”
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“That’s what parents do. They catch you before you fall. That’s what family is.”
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